Autumn is coming and the world is changing to a more tranquil place after the heady days of summer (at least it is if you have a children and they’ve returned to school after the summer holidays). So go and enjoy the spectacular show being shown around Scotland - the outdoors.

Magical would be a good way to describe Puck’s Glen near Dunoon, you could also try enchanted or just a simple brilliant. Named after Shakespeare’s impish character in A Midsummer Night’s Dream the gorge lined with moss covered rock, dripping with the spray of tumbling falls is one of the places to see in Scotland. And the COWAL peninsula in which it sits is a great place to base yourself with stunning views over the Firth of Clyde and the sea lochs of Argyll.

A great way to arrive is on the ferry from Gourock to Dunoon where you can unwind for half an hour while gazing across the water to high mountains.

A top place to stay is the Kames Hotel, a favourite with yachties just south of Tighnabruaich, and further south is a great expanse of white sand at Kilbride Bay.

GRETNA GREEN is the wedding capital of Britain thanks to a bygone era when English couples desperate to tie the knot dashed across the border, where laws were less strict, to pledge their love over the anvil. Exploring this history is an interesting way to spend an afternoon - and you may spot a modern day happy couple as well.

It is also blessed with the wonderful Smiths Hotel as well as a good place to stretch the legs near the adjoining town of Gretna - built during the First World War to house some of the 30,000 workers employed at one of the world’s largest munitions factories. You can stroll along the shore of the Solway Firth, enjoying the view across to the Lake District.

Further north is another quiet corner of Scotland, often overlooked despite the peace and quiet. The OCHIL HILLS form a barrier to the north of the Forth Valley, rising straight up in a curtain of a rolling hills.

Nestled below them is the beautiful town of Dollar where you can explore its glen with the majestic Castle Campbell at the top. Owned by Historic Scotland it looks like castles should - all ramparts and thick walls amid spectacular scenery. It was the Campbell’s base until the 17^th century when they moved to Argyll’s Lodging in Stirling. The Castle Campbell Hotel is a good place to recuperate after a hard day’s exploring and its food is highly recommended.

The tree-lined River Ericht at BLAIRGOWRIE is a superb place to admire the autumn colours. Strolling along past old mills and looking down to the tumbling falls and rapids is a great way to spend a few hours. At this time of the year it is still worth heading west to the Loch of the Lowes near Dunkeld where the ospreys are getting ready to fly to Africa. For a really lovely place to stay try the Kinloch House just outside Blairgowrie - sumptuous food and real Perthshire country living.